WELLAND CENTENNIAL SECONDARY

WELLAND CENTENNIAL SECONDARY
….your community high school since 1966
Welland Centennial
Secondary School
240 Thorold Road West
Welland, Ontario L3C 3W2
Phone: (905) 735-0700
June 2015
CELEBRATING SUMMER!
Congratulations to our very own Ashleigh Gisel who was crowned the 2015 Rose
Queen, and to Rose Fraracci who placed as 2nd Princess. The Gr. 9 vocal class
and the Gr. 11/12 dance class entertained the crowds at the Rose Festival Day in
the Park on June 19th. The weather co-operated on the day of the parade and the
Centennial float was voted the Best Float by the festival judges. Thank you to all
staff and students who made this such a great way to start the Summer!
Fax: (905) 735-8063
Principal - Nigel Evans
V.P. - Jennifer Reid-George
Admin. Secretary- Elda Jackson
http://centennial.dsbn.org
Twitter: @WCSSCougars
WCSS Alumni Association
http://
centennialalumni.weebly.com
BROCK-NIAGARA - FRENCH CONTEST 2015 (Concours Brock-Niagara)
In May, eleven Welland Centennial Students from the Core & Extended French Gr. 11 and 12
programs participated in the 37th Annual Brock-Niagara French Contest. The contest
participants took part in activities designed to test their proficiency. They competed in one of
three categories: Core French, Extended French
or Francophone. This year’s participants were:
Lily Ayres, Megan Corriveau, Maria Dziarkach,
Morgan Fink, Alex Gilmore, Gabriel Marais,
Emily Mundy, Amanda Pattison, Hannah Smith,
Alexa Sutton, and Adrienne Thompson.
2015 GRADUATION
HONOURABLE MENTIONS
Excellence in Education Award Vinay Sharma
Lieutenant Governor’s Community
Volunteer Award - Ariel Hartwick
Ontario Principals’ Student Leadership Award - Lianne Bankert
Rotary Club of Welland Medalists Lianne Bankert & Vinay Sharma
Class of 2015 Valedictorian Austin Wheeler
Congratulations go out to Amanda Pattison and
her group who placed 1st in the Gr. 11
Extended French improv skit category. As well
congratulations to Gabriel Marais, who placed
5th in the Francophone category.
CONGRATULATIONS ROTARY MEDALISTS
Recently recognized by the Rotary
Club of Welland graduates, one male
and one female, from each of the five
secondary schools in Welland. These
students have been chosen by their
peers and Guidance staff because they
personify the Rotary motto of
“Service Above Self.” They have
made worthy contribution to the life
of the school and the community at
large and possess the qualities, abilities
and interests that make them worthy
representatives of their schools while the same
time achieving academic success. Congratulations
to the WCSS winners, Lianne Bankert and Vinay
Sharma.
EXCELLENCE IN EDUCATION AWARD
The Excellence in Education award honours
students who excel academically, while making
outstanding contributions to their school and
home communities. Congratulations to Vinay
Sharma, who was Centennial’s recipient of this
award. Vinay has been a visible leader throughout his years here at WCSS as
well within our local Community such as Student Council
Deputy Prime Minister, Chair
of the of the Mayor’s Youth
Advisory Committee for the
City of Welland and currently
holds the title of Student
Trustee for the DSBN.
WELLAND CENTENNIAL SECONDARY
….your community high school since 1966
Page 2
PRESTIGIOUS SCIENCE SCHOOL ACCEPTS CENTENNIAL STUDENT
COUGARS ON BROADWAY
The Arts department enjoyed their bi-annual trip to New York
City on May 14-17. The afternoon we arrived we went
immediately to the Museum of Arts and Design for our first
tour. That first evening drew to a close atop the Rockefeller
Center. The highlight of day two was the Musical Theatre Song
& Movement Broadway Classroom experience. The session was
taught by a Broadway performer from the musical On The Town.
Students saw the show later that evening. Sheet music was
provided and all students participated in a true Broadway
rehearsal learning the choreography, staging, and music directly
from the show! Later students were aboard The Ride, a unique
theatre experience where the touring bus becomes elevated
theatre seating and the streets become the stage. Day three
highlights included the Staten Island Ferry, a Stage Door Tour of
Radio City Music Hall, and a visit to The Museum of Modern
Art. On their final morning, students and staff explored Central
Park. Stay tuned for the Centennial Arts Department's NYC trip
being planned for May 2017!
BON APPETIT!!
This semester, the Gr. 9 Applied French
class and the Gr. 10 Culinary Arts
students came together over two days to
do some French cooking. The culinary
students worked in teams to teach the
French students how to make some
wonderful French recipes such as: tarte
tatin, soupe à l’oignon and croquettes to name a
few. A delicious feast was enjoyed by the
Heather Montgomery
Gr. 9 class! Special
thanks go out to Mr.
Laughton for preparing
such a wonderful menu
and to his students for
doing an excellent job
working with the French
class.
(left):Taylor Haymes & Dylan St. Amand
(right) :Mr. R. Laughton & Carl Paulemont
Jordan Barnartt is one of 60 students
chosen from across Ontario to
complete Grade 12 Math and Science
credits during an enriched semester at
the Ontario Science Centre in Toronto.
The Science School seeks students with
a passion for learning and
communicating about science and who
have a strong academic background.
At the Science School, there is a
Reaching for the stars
strong emphasis on experiential
learning and the communication of science. This is achieved through
Science School practicum hours engaging in activities within the
Science Centre and the local community. Congratulations on earning
this opportunity. We know you will represent Centennial well!
SPECIALIST HIGH SKILLS MAJOR PROJECT
The Construction Specialist High Skills Major students major project
this semester was to construct 10 large acoustic panels in the
classroom and install them in the auditorium ceiling above the apron
on the stage. Students worked with our community partner, Serianni
Construction Ltd., to install the panels
after receiving training in scaffolds and
elevating work platforms. The panels
were needed to correct sound issues
identified when the auditorium was
professionally sound tested.
The Arts Special High Skills Major students attended the Art Gallery
of Hamilton in May showcasing Italian Baroque and Canadian
Contemporary
art. Students also
participated in a
visual arts experience with gallery
artists.
At the Art Gallery of Hamilton
ALL THE WORLD’S A STAGE
Welland Centennial's Gr. 11 & 12 dance class pictured below
presented their final performance at the Merritt Park amphitheatre
on King St. in Welland. This is a site-specific piece in which students
choreograph using the environment around them. The Welland
Recreational Canal Corporation rented the amphitheatre to us for
this special event. Senior dance students used the creative process to
choreograph solo, small
group, and large group pieces
that utilized the site and
demonstrated the skills they
have learned over the past
few years. The performing
arts classes give students the
opportunity to explore the
arts outside the classroom and we are thrilled the students had this
unique experience.
WELLAND CENTENNIAL SECONDARY
community
high school
since 1966
….your….your
community
high school
since 1966
A NEW OPPORTUNITY FOR COUGARS/NEW SKILLS FOR THE MODERN WORK PLACE
Page 3
The Centennial School of Business is thrilled to announce that it will be offering to our students one of the
most sought after qualifications in Canada and internationally.
Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS) certification is the leading IT certification in the world. More than 1 million
MOS exams are taken every year in over 140 countries. It has recently been rated the 2nd most sought-after
skill required for high growth high paying jobs, and it is available to Cougars in September.
Certification demonstrates you have the knowledge, skills, and abilities to productively use Microsoft Office. MOS enables you to tap
the full features and functionality of the Microsoft Office system, resulting in heightened levels of individual performance, confidence,
and differentiation.
 In academia, MOS promotes success in the classroom for students (and instructors), builds individual distinction, and prepares
students for an increasingly competitive workforce.
 For business, MOS maximizes office productivity and efficiency for the organization and increases job satisfaction and heightens
career achievement among employees.
 In workforce development, MOS prepares and places job candidates, ensuring they possess the skills employers require.
 This exciting opportunity is offered in our Grade 11 BTA class and our Grade 12 BTX class. It will also be offered in our adult
programs.
ROBOTICS ON THE MOVE
COUGARS EARN THEIR WINGS
Grade Ten History classes traveled to Hamilton's
Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum in May for an
in-depth tour of the remarkable collection of planes
that have played a vital role in Canada's wartime and
peacetime history. Students were given an interactive
lesson on wartime life for civilians in Canada and
soldiers and pilots overseas. The Canadian
Warplane Heritage Museum is home to one of the
two remaining Lancaster bombers still capable of
flying. The other is in England.
The new robotics season celebrated its launch at the end of
April. Students in the Robotics Club were busy working
independently and together designing and building prototypes
for competitions taking place in the upcoming school year.
These future innovators are focusing and applying what they
know of science, technology, engineering and math, and
having a great time doing it!
SCHOOLN REACH TEAM PLACED FIRST IN REGION
The Centennial School reach team has had a fantastic year, meeting
weekly at lunch to enjoy friendly practice trivia competitions. Our
Senior team won their final tournament in March, taking home the
Finalist Plaque at the Regional level. The Intermediate team went all
the way to win the Regional Championship trophy in May, a very
impressive feat for students in their first competitive season!
Congratulations to all students who came out to Reach this year.
Back row (L to R): Connor Poland, Dean Haydon, David Gagnon,
Jordan Barnartt, Keegan Patrick, Maria Dziarkach
Front row (L to R): Chris Russell, Devlin Mayne, Spencer Taylor,
Meredith Durfy, Lily Ayres
(left) Malav Patel
(right) Alexandra Gilmore & Flora Sibley
STUDENTS’ CO-OP SPARK CAREERS
Congratulations to Steven Alakas (below) and
Colin Snider who both completed their co-op
placements in the electrical
field as Ontario Youth
Apprentices. Students
wishing to pursue careers in
the skilled trades are
encouraged to participate in
the Ontario Youth Apprenticeship
Program (OYAP). Questions about
the program and its benefits can be
answered by either a guidance
counselor or co-op teacher at Centennial.
WELLAND CENTENNIAL SECONDARY
….your community high school since 1966
Page 4
COMING SPRING 2016!!!
The Arts Department is once again
looking forward to mounting a full-scale
musical in Spring. This year we turn our
attention to the classic broadway musical
"Guys & Dolls." Set in the 1950s in New
York City, Guys And Dolls is an oddball romantic comedy
that takes us from the heart of Times Square to the cafes of
Havana, Cuba, and even into the sewers of New York City, but
eventually everyone ends up right where they belong. We
encourage all students to consider getting involved in this exciting project. No previous experience is required and we can
guarantee that getting involved will build high school memories
that will last a lifetime.
RUGBY TEAM FIRST FINAL
The boys Rugby
team played at
SOSSA in
Beamsville where
they progressed to
before losing to an
experienced
Stamford team
The girls Rugby team (pictured below) played at a Prom Dress
tournament at A.N. Myer where they went 2-1 in their pool play.
GRADE 6 MATH & SCIENCE OLYMPICS
On Tuesday, April 28th, Centennial hosted Grade 6 students from all of
our feeder elementary schools for the Math and Science Olympics. Junior
Cougars were able to get a taste of life at high school and meet new
people as they competed in three fun challenges.
TRACK & FIELD TRIUMPHS
Centennial Cougars traveled to the University of Toronto to compete
in the 2015 OFSAA track and field championships. The weekend was
full of great experiences for both
athletes and coaches. To qualify for
OFSAA as one of the provinces’ top
24 athletes is a great
accomplishment. Our 11 athletes
had Centennial's best results at
OFSAA Track and Field in recent
history, with 7 top eight finishes and 3 medals. Special congratulations
go to Mackenzie Jasinskas who won a bronze medal in the midget
boys 100 metre hurdles, Alexis Brenzil for winning a bronze medal in
senior girls javelin and Emma Nero for capturing silver in the senior
girls 100 metre hurdles. GO COUGARS GO!
BOY’S BASEBALL TEAM
Centennial's Boys’ Baseball team had a 500 ball this season, finishing
just one spot short of a
playoff appearance with a
two win and two loss
record. The boys played in
the St. Francis Spring
Classic and were
competitive in each of
their games and even beat
the host team. The team
looks forward to next season and wishes graduating players well.
GRAD FAST FACTS
 Graduating Class - 199 Graduates
 Scholarship & Bursary Dollars earned - $50,000.00
 Ontario Gold Medals - 63
 Ontario Silver Medals - 42
 University Bound Students - 66
 College Bound Students - 41
 Returning 12B Students - 21
 Students going to the workforce - 37
HELLO & FAREWELLS
As the school year comes to an end WCSS wishes to congratulate Mr. Speck, Mrs. Fitzgerald and Mrs. Tracey on their retirements. They have all
enjoyed long and distinguished careers and served the students of Niagara with credit. Mr. Kubeck will become the new V.P at Governor Simcoe
S.S. in St. Catharines. We will miss his good nature and his drive to do what is best for students at the school. Ms. Skye Butters, Ms. Carusetta,
Mr. Holland, Mr. Mitson, Ms. Risto, Ms Shishkov and Mrs. Straighton have taken on new assignments and we wish them well. We would like to
extend a warm welcome to our new staff members Mrs. Reid-George (our new V.P.) and incoming teachers Mr. Barker, Ms. Carl, Ms. Thomas,
Ms. Smith and Ms. Corbett.